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Thursday, July 22, 2010

Last Thursday, the southeast side of Michigan got hit with a particularly nasty storm leaving somewhere in the range of 100,000 people without power. I was one of those people. My mother was coming down for a quick visit to eat dinner and give me her cat to watch over for 2 weeks. My plan was to try out making Rosemary Potato Pizzas on Naan bread after Anne Marie and I had discussed what a wonderful pairing we thought this would make. By the time my mother arrived, the storm was in full effect, I had no power, and I was starting to think it might be a good night to get take-out. But I decided I wasn't going to let a little thing like not having power stop me from cooking. Luckily, I have a gas stove otherwise none of this would have been possible.

Candlelight Cooking

Using what little daylight was left, candles, and the light from the flame on the stove, we made the Rosemary Potato Naan Bread Pizzas. They turned out better than I had anticipated. Instead of messing around with the oven, we pan fried them which turned out wonderfully. If you like a crispier crust, I've included footnotes on how to pan-fry them. For my first go-round of making these, I experimented with a lot of different ingredients/combinations; sauce, no sauce, fresh mozzarella, crumbled feta, caramelized red onion, potatoes of varying crispiness...seriously, the possibilities are endless.

I ended up finding two that I liked the best. Of course I had to remake them when I actually had power so I could get some good photos. But I was certainly happy to have an excuse to make these again!

The first version is simply Rosemary Potato on Naan Bread. The wonderful thing about this version is that it could be served as a main dish or as an appetizer.

The second version includes sauce, fresh mozzarella, and red onion (pictured up top). It's more of a traditional pizza and a little bit more filling than the Basic version. I hope you enjoy them both!

1) Set oven to broil (if using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat as well)
2) Place 1 Tbsp of EVOO into skillet. Heat over medium low.
3) Add sliced potatoes and rosemary. Sprinkle a few pinches of sea salt and fresh pepper on top.
4) Cover and let sautee for about 10 minutes, flipping the potatoes every few minutes to ensure each side is cooked equally. Potatoes are done when you can easily poke through them with a fork and edges are slightly golden. If you'd prefer a crispier potato, turn the heat up for the last few minutes and let it cook a minute or so on each side.
5) Mix the remaining olive oil in a small bowl with a large pinch of oregano. Brush the oregano/olive oil mixture onto the Naan bread. (Don't feel as though you must use all of the olive oil, you may have some leftover)
6) Arrange the potatoes on the Naan bread in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
7) Place pizza on a pre-warmed pizza stone or a baking sheet. Bake 5-7 minutes or until potatoes and bread are browning at the edges.

Note: If you prefer a crispier crust, I recommend pan frying instead of baking. Simply coat a skillet with a light layer olive oil, place the Naan bread in it, turn head to medium/medium low, and cover. Let cook for about 5-7 minutes.

1) Set oven to broil (if using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat as well)
2) Place 1 Tbsp of EVOO into skillet. Heat over medium low.
3) Add sliced potatoes, rosemary, and onion. Sprinkle a few pinches of sea salt and fresh pepper on top.
4) Cover and let sautee for about 10 minutes, flipping the potatoes every few minutes to ensure each side is cooked equally. Potatoes are done when you can easily poke through them with a fork and edges are slightly golden. Onions should be see through on one side. If you'd prefer a crispier potato, turn the heat up for the last few minutes and let it cook a minute or so on each side.
5) Spoon your desired amount of sauce on the Naan Bread and spread all over. Slice the fresh mozzarella and pull apart the pieces as you place them all over the bread. Arrange your potatoes and onions on top.
6) Place pizza on a pre-warmed pizza stone or a baking sheet. Bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling at the edges.

Note: If you prefer a crispier crust, I recommend pan frying instead of baking. Simply coat a skillet with a light layer olive oil, place the Naan bread in it, turn head to medium/medium low, and cover. Let cook for about 5-7 minutes.